Saturday, November 01, 2008

A Samajwadi Party MLA has publicly announced that he would give Rs 1 crore (10 million) to any one who kills Raj Thackeray, the rogue MNS leader.

In the era of theatrics, it is hardly a surprise. The SP MLAKishorSamrite did cross the line. As he is an elected public representative, the announcement acquires more serious dimension. But, it is equally true, that Raj has been given a long rope and he has been flirting with law.

In Maharashtra, law doesn't apply to Raj Thackeray and democracy has given way to mobocracy. (Where is the state government in Maharashtra?) It is the era of theatrics and antics. The round the clock TV news channels also need something interesting all the time and these dramatic statements suit them the most.

No wonder that within an hour of issuing this statement of 'supari' (contract killing), the MLA was on the lead news of almost all channels. He may have spoken irresponsibly but he did make a news. Anybody who would have thrown an open challenge or issued a similar provocative statement, would have got the same coverage but none did. Samrite issued the statement and will be on frontpage in newspapers tomorrow. You need fame, do something ridiculous and outrageous and you won't regret it in this country.

The MLA from Lanji (Balaghat) in MadhyaPradesh, knows that it's the age when you need to create news or rather, be a news. He has earlier attempted suicide, slaughtered 265 goats at Kamakhya temple in Assam and done similar other acts, to stay in news. He did it. Those who didn't, aren't recognised outside their constituencies or states.

Law is applied to people, selectively and state seems to have become a joke.

The lesson is that if you can regularly come out with weird ideas and peform crazy things, you can make a career in this country and emerge as a public figure--either in politics or in any other field.

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